A REVIEW OF THE CEPOLTD.T: OR RANO-FTSHES OF 



JAPAN. 



Ry David Starr Jordan and Henry W. Fowi.er. 



Of the Ldand Stanford Junior University. 



In this paper is given a review of tlie species of Rand-fishes or Ccpo- 

 lidw known to inha))it the shores of Japan. The material studied is 

 in the museum of Leland Stanford Junior University and in the 

 United States National Museum. It was ehieiiy collected by Messrs. 

 Jordan and Snyder during the summer of 1900. 



Family CEPOLID.E. 

 BAND-FISHES. 



Rody very elongate, compressed, band-like, covered with small 

 cycloid scales, lateral line ol)scure. Head obtuse; cleft of the mouth 

 wide and oblique; teeth moderate on jaws only; eyes large, lateral; 

 gill-openings wide, the membranes not united, free from the isthnuis; 

 gills 4; pse^udobranchite present; branchiostegals 6; air-bladder large; 

 pyloric coeca few. Skull well ossified. Dorsal and anal tins each very 

 long, composed of slender rays, which are either simple or branched 

 and more or less distinctly articulated; both tins more or less joined 

 to the caudal; ventral tins thoracic, their rays I, 5. 



Coasts of tropical Europe and Asia; shore fishes of a deep red color; 

 a peculiar group, having something in common with the Ophidmhv, 

 but with the normal ventrals thoracic, in position of the ordinary 

 l)ercoid tishes. Its relations are perhaps nearer the Latilida^ than any 

 other of the better known groups. 



a Preopcrde unarme.l ; dor>.al rays more or les.s distinrtly articulate, usually l.ran.'hcl. 

 ' Cepolti, 1. 



aa Preoperde with 4 to 8 l.luut spinouH teeth; dorsal rays indistinctly articulated, 



' I ] Acanthoc£pola, 2. 



not l)rancnea ^ 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum. Vol. XXVl-No. 1330. 



699 



